“Where did you hear that?” I croak, my lips numb with terror and rage.
“People talk,” Manson says, like it’s no big deal. “Especially when it involves the Hellhounds.”
“What are they saying?”
“Some little birdie saw you leaving his room after midnight on Christmas Eve,” Manson says. “Imagine that. Our little tender Mercy, skipping Mass to get some ass.”
Annabel Lee picks up her skunk, stroking a hand over his head. “You’re like a proud papa, watching the innocents go out and get defiled one by one.”
“As long as they come home to Papa and tell him all about it,” Manson says. “Besides, what else am I going to do with my wasted life? If I can’t be on a runway in Milan, I might as wellroot for the elimination of that purity bullshit as y’all wake up, one small-town hick at a time.”
“Hey,” Annabel Lee protests.
“Babe, you’re further from a small-town hick than me,” he says. “Obviously I didn’t mean you.”
“Good,” she says. “And you’re not wasting your life. You’re the next big hockey star.”
“Speaking of,” Ronique says. “I heard there was a hockey party coming up. I need all details.”
“Guess I’m going to have to find a date, if you’re all coupled up,” Manson says, swirling a finger around the group.
“Wait, you have a boyfriend?” I ask, turning to Annabel Lee.
“Don’t act so shocked,” she says in her droll, deadpan voice. “I’m very loveable.”
“I know, it’s just—”
“And who said anything about a boy?” Ronique demands.
“Oh, I didn’t… I’m sorry.”
“She’s just messing with you,” Annabel Lee says. “I dabble, but I actually prefer men. All those muscles are a great source of protein.” She flashes her teeth at me like a vampire showing its fangs, and Manson shoves her playfully.
“Stop scaring the new girl,” he stage whispers, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile meant just for me. “She was home-schooled.”
Instead of awkwardness taking over, I feel all warm and sparkly inside. That one smile said everything—that I was included, that the joke wasn’t at my expense. That even though I have social anxiety and don’t relate to normal people in a normal way, they accept me. They still like me, know me well enough to joke around with me like their other friends.
“It’s okay,” I say, smiling back at Manson. “They may not have taught us about cannibalism, but I’ve read a book or two about vampires.”
Manson covers his heart.“Escandalo!”
“Parties are going to be so much more fun now that we all have dates,” Ronique says. “Manson, get your phone. There’s gotta be someone in there you can hit up.”
He sighs like it’s a burden, but he pulls his phone from his pocket. “I suppose if everyone’s got their meat source for the semester, I’m going to have to find one too. No way I’m going with y’all to the steakhouse and getting a salad. I can only be a vegetarian in one area of my life.”
seven
The Saint
I knew it was coming, but when the Master calls a ceremony on the day that, according to Heath, pagan heathens celebrate fertilization, I know it’s here.
“You think he’ll let us rail her too?” Heath asks, rubbing his hands together to release his overabundance of pent-up energy. “All three of us?”
“Still pissed he chose me?” I ask.
“No,” he says with a huge, wicked grin. “I spent some time with her on Christmas Eve, got what I needed to satisfy my thirst for revenge.”
I want to ask what he did, but I decide it’s better if I don’t know. I’ll be the pissed off one if I do. It’s bad enough I have to fuck my sister after my best friend did. I don’t need to know my other best friend also went before me.
